Which Metallica bassist wrote the introductory bass part for “My Friend of Misery”?

Jason Newsted wrote the introductory bass part for Metallica's “My Friend of Misery” on The Black Album. The opening bass figure became the song's defining musical entrance.

Newsted originally intended the piece to become an instrumental. It would have continued a tradition of Metallica instrumentals that included “(Anesthesia)—Pulling Teeth,” “The Call of Ktulu,” “Orion,” and “To Live Is to Die.” During the album's development, however, the band added lyrics and turned the idea into a vocal track.

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are also credited as writers of the finished song, reflecting the collaborative process that shaped the final arrangement. The track deals with isolation and the burden of unwanted advice, themes that fit its dark, reflective atmosphere.

A common mix-up is crediting Kirk Hammett because of the song's prominent guitar parts, or Cliff Burton because he played bass on earlier Metallica classics. Newsted was Metallica's bassist when The Black Album was recorded.